Friday, September 6, 2013

Fallout by Todd Strasser

This novel is based on the premise that there was an incident during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The story begins with the sirens blaring and the family headed down to their shelter. There are the only family on the block that has built a shelter and soon their shelter built for 4 becomes filled with 10 and there are more outside trying to get in.The next chapter goes back to the previous June when the family first considers building a shelter.The rest of the book alternates back and forth between the time spent in the shelter - without enough food and water because it was only built for 4, with the mom injured, and with even racial tensions - and then the other chapters slowly move up to the date in October.I enjoyed the book quite a bit....read it in one sitting. My main concern is that the boys in the book discussed Playboy and spying to see girl's breasts - you know before the end of the world and all. I am sure it is realistic to the age group of boys in the book but I currently am at a grade 1 - 5 school and I don't think I can put it into the library.Ribbit....because I enjoyed it.